I haven't driven the new Mazda 6, but it looks good.
I have a 2006 Mazdasdpeed 6 (turbocharged, 274hp) and I love it. If I had to do it all over again, I think I would go with the Mazdaspeed 3. For around 23K, it's a quick little car. You can launch from 0-60mph in about 6 seconds flat..
Good luck!